Now to Pause…

My little booth at Just for Us

Well, I’ve three shows under my belt at this point, the One of a Kind in Toronto, Just for Us also in TO and Originals in Ottawa. After missing the Chicago show as I was still in chemo the Ottawa show was down so this year has sort of started off with whimper. Just for Us, however, was a nice bonus that I was able to do because of the three week stretch between the two big shows … not usual, they’re usually back to back with only time to sleep in your own bed for a couple of nights and rinse out your knickers! I said that to someone who then asked ‘what, you only have five pairs of drawers?’

Anyway, now that Spring is here (or is it July?) and I’m on vacation I have a bit of time to post, though I brought so much stuff to do with me I may never see the sun…. just kidding! These lovely crocuses and snowdrops were along my walk month up against a warm wall in the Limestone City. I’m sure the old leaves around them are raked up by now.

I wanted to share a new tool I got with my colour changer and my yarn tree (which when not used for yarn is a great place to hang stuff which needs to go back into the house from the studio!). It’s a long piece of wood with a groove in it that fits over the knitting needle heels on the machine and moves all the needles up and/or back at once, marvelous. It hung around my machine until one day while knitting a new design using lace I needed to move the work out from the bed to see if any stitches had caught on the sinker posts as they are wont to do.

You can see the lace knitting clear of the posts, that’s the tool turned upside down to show the

groove, and then you can see when I find a stitch that has gone awry and hooked itself onto a sinker post. I do this every second row, quick and easy really, I only move the needles out a bit and back, better than trying to fix a hole in your lace after the piece is finished and off the machine. I love this tool but please don’t ask what it’s called, I had never seen one before.

Whew! I’ve had a real deal with business and I’ve had a chance to think about it while walking on the beach and keeping up my fitness and trying to destress. Over a hassle with a custom order I was told that, sick or not, I should not be taking orders that I cannot promise to deliver at the stated time. Then it came to me that in 26 years I’ve done that a lot really, I have no control over whether the yarn I order will be delivered, it mostly comes from afar and as the yarn business isn’t the biggest I’m sure I have to wait until my supplier has a large enough order to put in to the manufacturer. There have been customs problems and so on.

Also, as has happened, I’ve come home from a show and placed an order only to find that that manufacturer has discontinued the colours I need! I once spent three days on the internet searching other knitters stashes for a certain colour. I told the client and she loved the story and had me write it out for her and send it along with the sweater!

I’ve had to refund only twice in twenty six years; one to a woman who ordered while in the throes of the up side of bi polar disorder, then came down and reneged, she was even introduced to me by another artisan as her friend. The other time was because I was sick and everything took a back seat to the big C. Oh well, if it’s only been twice in twenty six years I’m not doing too badly… (I tell myself).

Label Example.

Aside from building web sites now, something I’ve always wanted to do, I took over label making from the woman from whom I’ve purchased my fibre content labels over the years. I’ve still to set up the computer and printer and I’ve a few thousand labels left but what’s great is I can do a minimum of 5. I’ve always loved knowing I can get just a few labels for some unusual fibre that I’ve found. More on this in weeks to come once I’ve set it up…. I’m running out of 100% Wool labels myself. Might put this on Etsy.

BTW no date for the big double M… I’ll keep you posted. Also on the lighter side, I’ve tried on my Summer hats and found that they’re all too big for me with such short hair and they float around my ears!!!

Well, that’s it for now, at least now you know I didn’t fall off the edge off the earth!